This invention relates to a squeeze bottle dispenser, and more particularly relates to a squeeze bottle dispenser having a minimum number of parts, yet which produces an extremely well atomized spray.
The art of squeeze bottle dispensers is extremely well developed. However, these dispensers have become increasingly complex as ways have been sought to improve the ability of the dispensers to dispense well atmoized sprays of liquid, and yet to automatically seal at the end of a dispensing cycle and remain sealed between dispensing cycles.
A typical example of a squeeze bottle dispenser which is an attempt to achieve these objects is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,883 to Davis, Jr., in which a resiliently collapsible container has a dispensing head thereon through which a dip tube with a check valve therein runs to a dispensing orifice, and which has valving means for permitting one-way flow of air from within the container upwardly to and over the mouth of the dip tube to mix with liquid from the container and flow through the dispensing orifice. An air return passage with a valve therein allows air to flow back with the container after a dispensing cycle. When the bottle is squeezed, the air in the space above the liquid contained therein is compressed, and when sufficient pressure is built up, the liquid flows past the check valve and up the dip tube and the air flow control valve opens and compressed air flows past the valve to the mouth of the dip tube and atomizes the liquid flowing through the dip tube as it passes out through the dispensing orifice.
Thus, the device requires not only a valve member at the foot of the dip tube, as well as a valve member in the air flow path between the interior of the container and the mouth of the dip tube, but also requires a valve in the return air flow passage.
Since this typical squeeze bottle structure requires a large number of parts, including three valves, it is not only relatively expensive to make and sell, but it is not very reliable in operation.
Simplification of such a structure can of course be achieved, but usually at the expense of omitting the function of one or more of the valve members or of parts helping to atomize the liquid.
An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,936 to McDonell, in which the structure has been somewhat simplified, but which still requires three valves, one for the dispensing aperture, one for the return air flow aperture, and one for the foot of the dip tube to completely seal the container between dispensing cycles. When one of the valves is omitted, as in FIG. 9, the interior of the container is always in communication with the atmosphere. Moreover, in the McDonnell dispenser, these valves are spring-loaded valve members, thus requiring additional parts.
On the other hand, the art has recognized the desirability of several features to improve dispensing. For example, the desirability of causing a flow of air to sweep across an aperture through which liquid is flowing to improve atomization of the liquid, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,189,282 to Corsette. However, in this patent, the passages for the flow of the liquid and the air are unvalved so that no build up of pressure can occur prior to the start of flow of air or liquid, and separate cover means must be manually positioned to seal the squeeze bottle after each cycle of use.
It would be a distinct advance in the art if there could be provided a squeeze bottle dispenser which has a simplified structure, yet in which the sealing effect and pressure build up effect of the valve means normally provided in the flow paths for the air and the liquid is retained, and which also takes advantage of the improved atomization caused by the sweeping of the air across the aperture through which the liquid is flowing.